Anastasia Part 8
Roman leaves to kill Ruby/Rena in person and we reach Vale.
Disclaimers: I own nothing
Okay we are back in the underworld, Roman watches the image-of Rena and Oscar's embrace, seething. He moans, grasping his head in frustration, his fingers actually sinking into his skull. Rasputin's neck is stretching and starting to tear as he pulls on his own head. Mercury backs away from the impending explosion.
"No, Not again!" Roman screaming in frustration while some in the audiences laugh what he's doing to himself.
"I am not getting through with this", Roman comment about his counterpart.
"Yeah, now your trying to loose your head", Mercury said to him with a fun smile.
"Easy, Master, wow… This is no time to loose your, head." Mercury said to him as he exerts a monumental effort to control himself.
"You're right. I am calm. I am heartless. I have no feelings whatsoever." Roman settles himself in a soothing mantra.
"Sir." Roman opens his eyes, suddenly smiling.
"I feel a sudden onset of clarity, Mercury. I'll have to kill her myself. In person." Roman said knowing if using his minions will only keep failing, then he better do it himself.
"Oh yeah sure if you want something done right, you might as well do yourself", Cinder commented.
"Let's see him try", Ruby said.
"My good guess, Roman meets his end", Yang said her own answer.
"Let's see how that goes", Hakaze said to Yang.
"What, you mean - physically?" Mercury ask while amazed.
"You know what they say. If you want something done right…" Roman says to Mercury.
"But that means … going topside?!" Mercury said because they are going for a ride back at the world of the living.
"Exactly. I have so many fond memories of Vale and killing the last of the Rose and Xiao Long with my own hands, will be so dee… licous. Well, time to go." Roman said getting on his feet.
"But you're dead! You're falling apart! Sir, how do you expect to get to Vale in one piece?" Mercury said but it's not like the dead can't stay in the world of the living unless they have a reason.
"I thought we'd take the train." Roman said with laughter then he raises the Reliquary. Thunder and lightning crack. Billowing smoke fills the room as Roman rockets thru the ceiling.
"Wow!" Mercury said as he is dragged along.
"Well there he goes", Emerald said.
"Okay now we move to Vale", Hakaze said to the audiences.
In Vale across the city to ESTABLISH Maria's Manor.
"MMM … Ah yes, I remember so well. Uncle was from Patch…
"Uncle was from…" The scene changes again.
In Maria's study room, reveal a YOUNG WOMAN which some already recognizes doing her best "Ruby Rose" for Maria, who slits hidden in the shadow of a canopied chair. SOPHIE and her CAT, TILLIE stand nearby.
"Hey is that me?!" Octavia surprise to see that she's in it.
"And your being asked to pose as Ruby Rose", Dew said to her.
"But I look nothing like her!" Octavia makes her excuse.
"But still it might help the empress anyway", Gwen said laughing.
"Not funny Gwen." Octavia said blushing.
"Come on Octavia, a little sense of humor for once", Nebula said joining in the fun.
"Not you too Nebula."
"Odessa. And every spring…" Octavia posing as Ruby Rose says some words that Maria is so familiar with.
"We would take picnics by the shore on Sunday. Haven't you anything better to do." Maria finished that sentence while leaning into the light.
Sophie and the Tillie, waddling in perfect unison, usher Octavia to the door.
"Oh, oh dear now, you have to leave now, yes? Good-bye." Sophie said to Maria while Octavia out the door.
"No more. No more…" Maria said quietly as Sophie and the Tillie waddle back to Maria's side. Sophie busies herself with a lavish preparation of tea.
"Well good try", Nebula said to Octavia.
"But Empress Maria is not falling for it anymore", Octavia said to her.
"Maria is already giving up all hope on search for her granddaughter now", Hakaze said to everyone.
"But she will accept once she sees Rena?"
"Yes, unless Oscar can convince her already", Hakaze answered Taiyang.
"Oh, oh… I must say I'm so sorry. I thought that one surely was real. Well, she was real I mean, she was human of course but not our real." Sophie said a she indicates a photo of Ruby Rose on the desk, then sets the tea cup down for the cat. Tillie sniffs the tea then turns up her nose.
"Cats?" Blake commented on the sight of Tillie the cat.
"Please not now Blake", Hakaze said to her.
"But we won't be fooled next time! No, I'm going to think of really hard questions." Sophie said, probably she was informed by Oscar and Peter as she adds another lump of sugar to the cat's tea. Satisfied, the cat drinks.
"No. My heart can't take it anymore! I will see no more girls claiming to be Ruby Rose." Maria really did give up after seeing probably many Ruby Rose imposters as she looks at the photo on the desk and places it face down.
"Oh your not giving up that easily", Ruby said to the screen Maria.
"Because she will reunite with her", Yang said next.
Vale is sparkling in the morning sun as an old car enters the city and winds it's way to Sophie's house. We hear Oscar giving Rena a last minute quiz.
"Well, three days ago I didn't have any past at all and now I'm trying to remember an entire lifetime." Rena answered.
"That's why you've got me. Now where was Uncle from?" Oscar asking another quiz question.
"Patch?!" Rena answered as they got to Sophie's house they pull up. Rena is nervous as Peter walks up to the front door. Peter knocks.
"Yes?" A maid answered the door and then Sophie comes to the door and gasps with delight.
"Sophie Stanislovskievna Somorkov-Smirnoff!"
"That's mouthful!" Blake commented of how long that name is.
"Peter Port", Sophie said rapidly, then stumbles, takes a breath.
"Well this is unexpected. Oh, but look at me where are my manners. Come in, come in, everyone. I'm palpitating with amazement, and shock and surprise. All three." Sophie stands back as Peter, Oscar and Rena enter but before Zwei can cross the threshold the door is slammed shut and he bumps into it with his nose. Quickly he jumps to the window box and presses his dace to the glass.
"Hey!?" Weiss said after Zwei gets left outside.
"They just left Zwei out there", Yang commented with a glare.
"Don't worry, Zwei is not going anywhere", Blake said to them.
At Sophie's drawing room through the glass, Rena enters. She moves with grace and regal poise.
"May I present her Imperial Highness the Grand Duchess Ruby Rose!" Peter announce.
"Oh my heavens, she certainly does look like Ruby Rose! But so did many of the others." Sophie commented but unaware that Rena really Ruby Rose.
"Where were you born?" Sophie asked her.
"At the Royal Palace." Rena answered.
"Correct."
"More pop quiz", Nora said because finds it boring.
"Well they need to be sure Rena gets it right", Ren said to her.
"Even if Rena still don't know that she is Ruby Rose", Pyrrha said to Nora next.
"But it will soon come back to her", Jaune said last and everyone is waiting for that.
Outside Sophie's house, Sundial showing the passing of time, then back to Zwei who is now pacing in the planter box. The flowers are destroyed.
"And how does Ruby Rose like her tea?" Sophie asking more pop quiz.
"I don't like tea, just hot water and lemon." Rena answered.
"Good."
"Finally you'll most likely find this an impertinent question, but indulge me. How did you escape during the siege of the palace?" Sophie ask and everyone is waiting to hear this part.
Oscar and Peter exchange a nervous look. It's obvious they never briefed Rena on this one. Rena is silent for a moment, then.
"Here it comes", Hakaze said as everyone gets prepared for this.
"There was a boy, a boy who worked in the palace. He opened a wall", Rena stops after realizes what she's said.
"I'm sorry, that's crazy, walls opening…" Rena continues in a lighter note, but this got Oscar shocked. He knows this is Ruby Rose and he can't believe it. He wanders outside. Rena does not see him.
"I know what Oscar's reason to wander outside, it's because he was there when he helped Maria and Ruby escape", Summer speak her mind about.
"Oscar now knows that Rena is really Ruby Rose, but how can he convince her?" Tai wonders.
"Maybe he can tell her he was that boy", Qrow said as answer.
"Unfortunately it won't be that simple", Hakaze answered that part.
"So… Is she a Rose?" Peter ask while minding that Oscar wander away.
"Oh well, she answered every question…" Sophie said and Rena's face lights up.
"You hear that, child… You did it!" Peter said and Rena hugs him while Sophie smiles.
"So, when do we go and see the Empress?" Peter ask if they should to Empress Maria.
"I'm afraid you don't." Sophie said they cannot at the moment.
"Come again, my pet."
"The Empress simply won't allow it." It's probably due to Maria haven't given up searching for her granddaughter.
"Now Sophie, my bright diamond. Surely you can think of some way to arrange a brief interview with the Dowanger. I refuse to budge till an answer occurs to you. Please." Peter counters and with a please on it, so Sophie thinks.
"Do you like the Patch ballet? I believe they're performing in Vale tonight - the Dowanger Empress and I love the Patch Ballet - we never miss it." Sophie looks to Peter and smiles. He gets it.
"So they will meet with Maria while at the Patch Ballet", Yang said.
"Yes but not just yet", Hakaze said to Yang.
At the garden, Oscar is still trying to put it all together in his head. Peter comes rushing out excited. Peter tries to jump in the air and click his heels together - not even close.
"Well good try anyway Peter", Oobleck said to him.
"I can due to my job thanks to my role as Huntsmen."
"We're going to see the Imperial Highness tonight! We're going to get the ten million rubles! We are going to be ah, ha, ha." Peter said and Oscar turns to him, still dumbfounded, and desperately repeats a line he's said man time without meaning.
"But Peter, she is the princess." Despite what Oscar is saying of course, Peter thinks he means that Rena just did well.
"Rena was extraordinary. I almost believed her and Sophie." Peter said as Rena rushes out, excited.
"That's not what Oscar is saying, he knows that Rena is really me", Ruby said.
"But right now you still don't know", Yang said to Ruby.
"Ruby will remember everything in the end", Hakaze said to everyone.
"Sophie wants to take us shopping for the ballet! Shopping in Vale?! Can you believe it!" Rena said feeling excited.
Later on, Peter, Sophie, Oscar and Rena exit the Chanel shop, wearing new clothes. MUSIC BEGINS: BRIGHT, EXCITING, VALE IN THE TWENTIES "PARIS HOLDS THE KEY TO YOUR HEART"
"Oh another song", Winter commented.
"Well music and singing is always needed", Weiss said to her sister.
"Yeah."
ACCORDION PLAYER: "Lovers!"
LADY FLOWER SELLER: "Ooh La La!"
SOPHIE: "Welcome, my friends to Vale", Sophie said to Rena, Oscar and Peter as she buys each a flower from the LADY FLOWER SELLER.
SOPHIE: "Here have a flower on me. Forget where you're from. You're in Vale! Children come! I'll show you that French Joer De'vivre!" Suddenly, our lovers are surrounded by a motley group of Parisians - street artist - musicians, a lady with poodles, etc. etc.
"French?"
"Come one Neptune, everyone can speak a different language in different universe", Sun said to him that everyone universe they watch would have different language.
SOPHIE: "Vale holds the key to your heart! And all of Paris plays a part!"
ACCORDION PLAYER, FLOWER SELLER: "Just stroll two by two down what we call "La Rue"
SOPHIE AND ALL: "And soon all Vale Will be singing to you! Ooh La La! Ooh La La! Ooh La Laaaa!" Now all of Vale joins in - celebrities and non-entities alike, as our foursome makes its way along
MAURICE CHEVALIER: "Vale holds the key to l'amour!"
Rena: "Oh!"
FREUD: "And not even Freud knows the cure!"
LINDBERGH: "There's love in the air!" Singing while looking in the sky.
JOSEPHINE BAKER, DANCING GIRLS: "At the Follies Bergere!"
PICASSO: "The French have it down to an art!" He shows a painting - maybe a woman with two heads, it scares people.
"Is that supposed to scare people?" Jaune wonders.
"Most likely Jaune", Ren answered him.
ALL: "Paris holds the key to your heart!" We see a sign for the MOULIN ROUGE. Our couples go in.
SOPHIE: "When you're feeling blue come to Le Moulin. When your heart says "Don't" We French say "Do"!"
CAN CAN GIRLS: "When you think you can't You'll find you can can!"
SOPHIE, ALL, CAN CAN GIRLS: "You can can too!"
Rena: "Gasp! Oh!"
SOPHIE, CAN CAN GIRLS: "WHEE! WHEE! WHEE!" The Can Can girls begin to dance. Rena, Sophie and Peter join in, but suddenly we're tight on Oscar, who's watching Rena taking part in the fun…
Oscar: "Vale holds the key to your past. Yes, princess, I've found you at last. No more pretend. You'll be gone That's the end…" The sounds of revelry come back with a wallop.
ENSEMBLE: "Vale holds the key to your heart"
COUTURIER: "You'll be tres jolie and so smart."
ISADORA DUCAN: "Come dance through the night!"
RODIN: "And forget all your woes."
SOPHIE: "The city of light!"
GERTRUDE STEIN: "Where a rose is a rose!"
SOPHIE, ALL: "And one never knows what will start! Paris holds they key…."
Oscar: "To her…."
SOPHIE, ALL: "Heart!"
SOPHIE: "Ooh La La!"
ALL: "Ooh La La!" And the music ends while they are up in a tall tower.
"That was a good song even when people are saying things in French", Pyrrha said.
"Okay everyone, it's time that Rena gets her reunion and remember her own past", Hakaze says on what's coming next.
End
Next chapter, Rena finally remembers and reunites with her grandma Maria.